Gun rest



.Dec. 3, 1957 R. HO CKLEY GUN REST Filed June 17, 1957 FIG-2.

I N VE NTOR Hock/g Roscoe.

ATTORNEY United States Patent GUN REST Roscoe L. Hockley, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 17, 1957, Serial No. 666,050

Claims. (Cl. 36-1) The present invention relates to a gun rest for gun shooters and particularly trap shooters and the like, which is worn over the shoe for receiving the outer end of the gun barrel while the shooter holds the stock of the gun upwardly so that the gun is in a vertical position and close to the body.

The present rest is designed for shooters who are waiting their turn to shoot, particularly in matches or in the sport of skeet or similar events. When the shooters are standing around off the firing position all guns are unloaded and it is the custom to rest the outer end of the gun barrel on the top of the foot. If the shoe is provided with a more or less thin upper, the weight of the gun in a short time will become uncomfortable and possibly painful, if not removed. Also if the gun has been previously fired and not cleaned the powder at the end of the barrel will soil the top of the shoe and with these conditions in mind, the present gun rest has been developed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a gun rest that may be easily attached to the outer upper surface of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rest constructed of a semi-pliable material, which will conform generally to the top outer surface of the shoe for distributing the weight of the gun over a comparatively large area of the upper forward portion of the foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a rest that may be handily carried in the pocket of the shooters.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the rest with an adjustable securing means for adjusting the rest to different sizes of shoes.

While several objects of the invention have been pointed out, other objects, uses and advantages of the invention may be more apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed. The invention consists in its novel construction and arrangement of its several parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following description, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the gun rest.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing in detail the rest attached to the shoe of a shooter.

Figure 5 is a modified form of holding element for the rest.

Figure 6 is still another modified form of holding element for the rest.

Figure 7 is still another modified form of gun rest.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the figure of a gun shooter together with the gun rest showing the manner in which the rest is used on the shoe by a shooter.

In referring to the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like and similar parts throughout the several views.

The component parts of the rest comprise, a sheet 10 of preferably semi-pliable material, such as leather, rubber, plastic and the like. The-sheet is preferably provided with a bead 12 to prevent the gun muzzle from slipping off the rest. The head may be formed integrally with the sheet, or sewed, or glued to the sheet, which ever is more convenient and economical for the particular type of material from which the rest is constructed. The sheet is formed similar to the outline of the shoe from the instep of the shoe outward to the toe of the shoe. The sheet from which the rest is made to give the best results should be slightly bendable by the weight of the average gun. That is, the weight of the gun 14 should slightly bend the rest downwardly, as shown at 10' in Figure 3, which distributes the weight of the gun over a comparatively large area over the top of the foot of the shooter.

For holding the rear of the gun rest in position over the top of the shoe, there is preferably provided an elastic band 16. This band is normally provided with an eyelet 18 on one end thereof and several eyelets 20 on the other end thereof. For attaching the band to the rest, there are provided at each side and adjacent the rear end of the rest, or the end of the rest position adjacent the instep of the shoe, a pair of button like elements 23 and 24. These elements may take any conventional form and may be attached to the rest in any suitable manner.

In Figure 6 there is shown a holding element in the form of a flat spring member 26. This spring is fixed to the rest by rivets, or other suitable means. The spring element 26 is attached about the portion of the rest and along the rear edge thereof in substantially the same location as the elastic band 16. The ends 26' and 26" are adapted to engage the shoe just above the junction of the sole and the upper.

Another type of holding means is shown in Figure 5 and in the form of a coil spring 28 having key hole hooks 30 and 32, which are adapted to extend over the button like elements 23 and 24.

While several forms of holding elements are shown and described, other holding elements and means may be used to position the rest on the upper surface of the shoe. For example, a rubber band may be used to replace the elastic band 16. Also the sheet may be provided with apertures shown at 40 and 42 through which the shoe strings may be inserted and conveniently tied to hold the rest in position. In Figures 7 a rest 44 is shown without the bead 12 and may be so made if desired.

In Figure 4 there is shown a detail illustration of one way in which the gun rest is applied to the shoe 46 of the shooter. The rest is shown extending outwardly from the shoe instep to a point adjacent the toe of the shoe. The rest is held in position by the elastic band 16. The rest is of a configuration similar to the front outline of the shoe. The band 16 extends from one side of the rest to the other and beneath the shoe sole 48 of the shoe and is secured to the rest by placing the eyelets over the elements 23 and 24.

Figure 8 illustrates the manner in which the gun rest is used. The shooter 50 is shown with the gun rest 10 attached to his shoe 46 by the elastic band 16 or any of the other holding elements may be used. The outer end 14 of the muzzle of the gun is placed upon the upper surface of the rest as shown, while the shooter holds the opposite end of the gun by the stock. The rest is so closely associated with the upper surface of the shoe that it does not normally interfere with the wearing thereof or with the shooting stance of the shooter when the shooter is firing the gun.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is not intended as a limitation.

The scope of the invention is best defined in the appending claims.

I claim:

1. A gun rest to be worn over the top of the shoe having a sole comprising, a sheet of semi-pliable material having generally the peripheral configuration of the forward portion of the shoe, said rest adapted to rest upon the upper outside surface of the forward portion of the shoe the forward portion of the rest being in a plane substantially parallel with the sole of the shoe, means engageable with the rest for holding the rest and the forward part of the shoe in position on the upper surface of the shoe.

2. In a gun rest as claimed in claim 1 in which the rest is provided with upstanding elements on the upper surface adjacent the rear edge thereof for receiving the holding means.

3. A gun rest to be worn over the top of the S1106 having a sole comprising a sheet of semi-pliable material having generally the peripheral configuration of the forward portion of the shoe, said rest adapted to rest upon the upper outside surface of the forward portion of the shoe the forward portion of the rest being in a plane substantially parallel with the sole of the shoe, resilient means connected to the rest adapted to extend about the shoe for holding the rest in position on the upper surface thereof.

4. In a gun rest as claimed in claim 1 in which the rest is provided with extensions extending upwardly adjacent each side and rear edge of the rest for engaging the resilient holding means.

5. A gun rest to be worn over the top of the shoe having a sole comprising a sheet of semi-pliable material having generally the peripheral configuration of the forward portion of the shoe, said rest adapted to rest upon the outside surface of the forward portion of the shoe the forward portion of the rest being in a plane substantially parallel with the sole of the shoe, a bead extending about and upwardly from the upper surface of the rest adjacent its peripheral edge for confining the end of the gun in contact with the rest upon the upper surface thereof, means engageable with the rest for holding the rest in position on the upper forward surface of the shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,763 Pass Nov. 6, 1917 1,311,046 Citron July 22, 1919 1,382,748 Slasor June 28, 1921 2,023,580 Fullarton Dec. 10, 1935 2,267,253 Ream Dec. 23, 1.941 2,517,927 Reed Aug. 8, 1950 

